ton gajewski



3 Sheets-Shet 1.

S. AVON GVAJBWSYKI 8v L. BRAUN. AUTOMATIC POINTA 0R SWITCH` APPARATUS PoR RAILWAYS.

` (No Model.)

ANDBIW B GRAHAM. H'IUTD-UTNQWSNINGTUN. DL.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheej; 3.

S. VON GAJEWSKIy 8v L. BRAUN. AUTOMATIC POINT 0R SWITCH APPARATUS P0P PAILWAYS.

No. 554,256. YPanzenmd Feb. Il, 1896. Y

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATICPOINT ORSWITCH APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,256, dated February 11, 1896..

Applicationled October 2, 1895.

To all whom t may con/cern.-

p Beit known that we, STEFAN vON GAJEwsKI and LEOPOLD BRAUN, subjects of the King of Prussia, Emperor of Germany, residing at Dresden, Saxony, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Automatic Point or Switch Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic point or switch apparatus for railways,which is particularly useful in. its application to street tramways, and which is actuated by the wheels of the vehicles.

In this specification the invention is described as applied to a tramway having grooved rails, premising, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular example.

A plunger is placed in the groove of the rail in front of the points-that is to say, in such a position that the car approaching1 a facing point arrives at the plunger before reaching the points. This plunger is operated by the car to work a ratchet-andpawl apparatus, which inits turn sets in operation a device in operative connection with the shift-rail or tongue of the points. The plunger is run over and depressed by each axle (or pair of wheels) of the car, and thus is depressed twice by the wheels of each car. Therefore care is taken to arrange the mechanism so that the second depression is of no effect. To this end the movement of `the ratchet-and-pawl apparatus is transmitted to the points byapair of geared wheels, whereof one, the driver, is only partially toothed, its other part being toothless-that is to say, it is in effect a toothed segment. IVhen the front wheel of the car runs over and depresses the plunger, a toothed portion of the periphery of the driver engages with the teeth of the other gear-whmeel and causes it to\ rotate 5 whereas when the rear wheel` of the car operates the plunger the second wheel remains motionless, because, though the driver rotates, that part of its periphery which now runs round in proximity to the driven wheel is toothless, and there is consequently no en gagement between the pair of gear-wheels.

In certain cases, as hereinafter explained,

Serial No. 564,430. (No model.)

devices other than road-wheels may be employed on the car to actuate the plunger.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a vertical cross-section through the apparatus in the plane in which the plunger is situated with view of the ratchet-and-pawl apparatus. Fig.

4 is a section of acombined ratchet-wheel and toothed wheel, forming a detail of Fig. 3, for V instance. Fig. 5 illustrates a car fitted with an auxiliary apparatus located under the drivers platform, to be hereinafter described. Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevation and trans* verse section, respectively, of this auxiliary apparatus.

The track-groove s of the tramway on the right-hand or outer side in relation to the direction of running, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, divides into the branches s and S2. By means of the switch-tongue Z, pivoted at le, the car-wheels may be directed or shunted into the groove s or 82, as desired. The bolt l, projecting from the under side of the tongue Z, engages in the slotted arm 2 of an angle or bell-crank lever 2 2a, which pivots on the fixed bolt 3 as a fulcrum. The other bell-crank-lever arm 2 is connected with a vcrank-disk 5 by the rod 4.

A short distance in front of the point of the switch-tongue is placed in the groove of the tramway the head of a plunger 6, whereof the stem or rod passes vertically down through tramrail or frame of the switch-tongue.

A coiled spring 7, Fig. 3, tends constantly to keep the plunger 6 at such a height that it projects aboveV the bottom of the tramway groove, so that it cannot fail to be depressed by the flange of the car-wheels running over it. This spring 7 might be replaced by a weight, which in that event would be mounted on a lever connected with the stem of G in a manner which needs no special explanation.

On the fulcrum 8 in the case G, situated in the roadway below the rails, the arm 9 is pivoted. It is jointed to the plunger G and works as a pusher-arm. The pusher-arm 9as will be seen on inspection of Fig. 3, rests upon one of four studs or pins 10 of the ratchetwheel ll, which last is journaled in bearings IOO in the case G. Vhen thc plunger is depressed, the ratchet-wheel is caused to rotate through the distance of a quarter-revolution by the movement of the arm 9 by the plunger (S into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The pins 10, however, are not immovable in ratchet-wheel 11, but are mounted in such manner as admits of their sliding axially against the opposing pressure of springs 12, carried by the wheel. and bearing on the pins, in order that these pins may be thrust out of the way of the ascending arm fl in its ascent when the car-wheels have quitted the plunger 6, and this latter is again raised by the reaction of the coiled spring 7. This purpose is also contributed to by giving to the heads of the studs oblique surfaces, as shown in section, Fig. el. In this way every depression of the wheel-key will cause the ratchet-wheel to advance a quarter of a turn. An ordinary pawl-catch 13 prevents its rotation in the wrong direction. the bevel-wheel 14; is closely and firmly connected. They may, in fact, be made in one piece. The bevel-wheel 14 also gears with a smaller bevel-wheel 15 of only half its diameter, which is suitably mounted on a fixed pivot in the frame G. Upon the shaft of the bevel-wheel 15 is secured the spur-wheel 1G, so that the bevel-wheel and spur-wheel gear together. The spur-wheel 16 gears with a spur-wheel 17, keyed on the shaft of a crankdisk, which shaft turns in a fixed bearing in the frame G. Thus a quarter of a turn on the ratchet-wheel produces a half-turn of Wheels 15 and 1G, which if the pair of spurwheels are toothed in the usual way will result in half a revolution of the wheel 17 and the crank-disk 5. The crank-disk will thus pass in regular alternation from one deadpoint into the other, and the switch-tongue will be caused by the connecting-rod -LL and bell-crank lever 2 2 to pass to and fro b'etween its one extreme position and the other. Now, however, the displacement of the plunger 6 by the second wheel of the car must be neutralized in relation to the points. For that purpose-as, indeed, has been already indicated in the introductory part of this specification-the wheel 16 is only dentated over one half its circumference, the other half having no teeth. Thus in each ot the four phases of rotation of the ratchet-wheel the spur-wheel 16 is caused to turn round another half-circle in advance. In this manner the driven wheel 17 finds its teeth opposite the toothed portion of the circumference in one of the phases of rotation and in the next following phase opposite the smooth toothless half, and while at each phase the ratchetwheel makes a quarter of' a revolution at each alternate phase the crank-disk remains unmoved in the position in which it was kept by the previous phase.

It depends upon the ratio of the gearing chosen whether the driving-wheel 16 has one lVith this ratchet-wheel 11 lever, a screw, &c.

or more toothed sectors, and correspondingly one or several toothless sectors.

If, for instance, the ratchet-wheel were only required to move over one-eighth of a revolution at a time the ratio of transmission would need .to be one to four. Then the periphery of the driving-wheel 1G would comprise, alternately, two toothed and two plain quarters, diametrically opposed to each other. The spur-gear pair of wheels 1G 17 might however be suppressed, if the bevel-wheel 15 were fixed on the shaft of the crank-disk, and thc companion bevel-wheel14C were, as described, only toothed in alternate parts.

Thus far the apparatus has been described on the assumption that the cars in regular succession require to travel alternately on either branch.- z'. e., one car bys and the next by s2. Each car will then properly adjust for itself the switch which its predecessor had left in a false position as regards its successor, though suitable for itself; but for the case when two cars in succession require to travel in the same direction and not in opposite directions the auxiliary appliance previously mentioned and now about to be described comes into operation, and its use is further recommended in reference to the possibility of accidental or deliberate and intentional displacement of the switch-tongue. This auxiliary apparatus is applied directly to the car itself, and, as a general rule, indeed, at both ends of the car, over the right-hand rail.

One modification or form of application is shown on the car illustrated in Fig. 5, and also in detail in Figs. (5 and `7. It consists, as will be seen, of a frame 18 with two rollers 19, which latter are competent to run in the bottom of the tramway-groove and depress the plunger G. The frame 1S is suitably adapted to slide vertically in the guide-bars 2O attached to the car. A spring 21, Fig. 5, tends constantly to keep the apparatus well raised and pendent over the tram-rail; but, despite the opposing pressure of the spring 21, the frame 18 may be depressed by the lever 22 and treadle 23 when operated by the foot of the driver of the tram-car. This movement of the frame may also be brought about by other kinematic means-e. g. ,a hand- Thus depressed by the tramcar driver, and running along in the bottom of the groove, the auxiliary appliance described acts exactly like a car preceding the one to which it is attached, each of the two rollers depresses the key, and the first one at once changes over the switch-tongue, which, as has been seen, is not reversed by the action of the second roller, which remains of no effect. The switch-tongue, now correctly placed for the approaching car, and which would only be shifted over into the wrong position by the action of the carwheels, is set wrong purposely by means of the auxiliary appliance, so that it maybe set By means of this auxiliary apright again.

IOO

IIO

pliance the action of the apparatus is modiiied as desired.

Many variations are, of course, admissible in the constructive details without departure from the essential principles and scope of the invention.

lVe claiml. Ina railwaywitch the combination with the movable rail, of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle, driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part, and hit-and-miss gearing operatively connecting the driving mechanism with the movable rail; substan` tially as described.

2. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movablebar in the path of the vehicle a ratchet-and-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part a non-return detent and serrated Wheel hit and miss gearing operativelyT connecting the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism intermittently to the movable rail substantially as set forth.

3. Ina railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movable bar in the path of `the vehicle a ratchet-and-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part hit-and-miss gearing operatively connecting the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism intermittently to the movable rail and supplemental manually-controlled means for operating the bar substantially as set forth.

4. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle a ratchet-and-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part and hit-and-miss gearingoperatively connecting the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism intermittently tothe movable rail substantially as set forth.

5. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle-Wheel a ratchet-and-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part a non-return detent and serrated wheelgearing comprising a mutilated pinion and operatively connecting the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism intermittently to the movable rail substantially as set forth.

G. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable ra'il of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle-wheel a ratchet-and-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part gearing comprising a mutilated pinion and operatively connecting the ratchet-andpawl` mechanism intermittently to the movable rail substantially as set forth.

7 In a railway-switch, the combination with the movable rail, of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle-wheel, driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part, hit-and-miss gearing for connecting the movable rail intermittin gly with the driving mechanism, and a succession of supplemental manually-controlled devices for operating the bar; substantially as described.

8. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle-wheel, a ratchet-an d-pawl driving mechanism of which the movable bar is a part and gearing comprising a mutilated pinion and operatively connecting the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism intermittently to the movable rail substantially as set forth.

9. In a railway-switch the combination with the movable rail of a movable bar in the path of the vehicle and a ratchet-and-pawl mechanism of which the movable bar is a part and which comprises a ratchet-wheel whereof the teeth are spring-controlled sliding pins substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

STEFAN VON GAJEVSKI. LEOPOLD BRAUN.

lfitnesses:

OTTO WoLFF, AUG. DUMMER. 

